Pill dispenser



1967 G. H. DAVIS 3,358,818

' PILL DISPENSER Filed Oct. 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 44 FIG. I FIG.3

INVENTOR.

GENEVIEVE H. DAVIS w Ska 0i A T TOR/V5 Y Dec. 19, 1967 Filed Oct. 21, 1965 G. H. DAVIS PILL DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

GENEVIEVE H. DAVIS 4 TTOPNEV I United States Patent 3,358,818 PILL DISPENSER Genevieve I-I. Davis, 10202 NE. 59th, Houghton, Wash. Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 500,146 3 Claims. (Cl. 20642) This invention is for a pill dispenser which may be used in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like.

In hospitals, nursing homes, and the like, it is necessary to count each pill, such as narcotics, barbiturates, and amphetamine and the like, when the nurse goes on duty and when the nurse goes off duty and to make a report of the number of pills. One way of doing this is to lay the pills on a table top and to count each pill and then return the pills to the container. This method is time consuming and therefore expensive as the nurse must take the pills from the container, place them on the table top, and count the pills, and then return the pills to the container. From having worked in nursing homes and in hospitals and having had to count pills, I have invented this pill dispenser which makes it possible to readily count the pills when I go on shift and also to easily count the pills when I go off shift. Accordingly, an object of this invention is the provision of a pill dispenser which makes it possible to readily count the number of pills and thereby save the time of the nurse and thereby decrease the cost of the nurse; which pill dispenser makes it possible to dispense pills with the minimum of handling with the human hand; and, which pill dispenser is inexpensively manufactured and can be sold at a relatively low cost.

These and other important objects and advantages of the invention will be more particularly brought forth upon reference to the accompanying drawings, the detailed specification of the invention and the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a specific embodiment of the invention and illustrates pills in the dispenser;

FIG. 2, taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, is a lateral crosssectional view of the pill dispenser and illustrates the upright tubes for storing the pills;

FIG. 3 is a plan view looking down on the pill dispenser of FIG. 1 and illustrates the top for allowing pills to be dispensed out of only one passageway;

FIG. 4, taken on line 44 of FIG. 3, on an enlarged scale, illustrates the cap, the upper part of the container and the selector top for allowing pills to be removed or inserted into the container;

FIG. 5 is a lateral cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pill dispenser and illustrates the details of construction of this pill dispenser;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the pill dispenser and illustrates the details of construction;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of another pill dispenser and illustrates a top which may be used as a cylindrical funnel for filling the dispenser with pills;

FIG. 8, on an enlarged scale, is a fragmentary view of another pill dispenser and illustrates details of construction;

FIG. 9 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view and partial side elevational view of another pill dispenser and illustrates details of construction;

3,358,818. Patented Dec. 19, 1967 FIG. 10 is a plan view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 9 and illustrates the selector top for allowing the insertion and removal of pills;

FIG. 11 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the top and partial side elevational view of the bottom of another pill dispenser and illustrates details of construction;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 11 and illustrates a selector top for allowing the insertion and removal of pills from the pill dispenser.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of another species of a pill dispenser and illustrates details of construction of the cap;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 13 and illustrates the opening in the cap for allowing pills to be introduced into and removed from the pill dispenser;

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 there is illustrated one form of pill dispenser 20. This pill dispenser comprises a container which is a right circular tubular case having cylindrical walls 22 and a bottom 24. Inside of this container there are five (5) right circular tubes 26. A spacer rod 28 assists in positioning these five tubes 26. Naturally, the container has translucent or transparent walls 22 and the tubes 26 are translucent or transparent. There is a cap for ease of insertion and ease of removal of the pill with respect to the tube 26. It is seen that on the upper part of the container wall 22 there is an external thread 30. The cap comprises a base 32 and cylindrical sides 34. In the sides 34 there is an internal thread or the cap may be considered to be tapped at 36. Naturally, the cap screws onto the upper part of the container. The base 32 of the cap has a number of openings. These openings are defined by radial spokes 40. The radial spokes 40 run from the outer edge of the base 32 to a hub 42. The hub 42 has a passageway 44. A stem 46 projects through the passageway 44. This stem 46 connects with a selector top 48. The selector top 48 may be considered to be a disc having an opening 50. The opening 50 is sufiiciently large to allow the insertion and removal of a pill or capsule from the tube 26. It is seen that the cap may be screwed onto the container so that the spokes 40 do not interfere with the entrance to a tube 26. By rotating the selector top 48, it is possible to uncover the opening to one of the tubes 26 for the insertion of a pill or capsule or the removal of a pill or capsule.

In use it is seen that a nurse wishing to count the number of pills or capsules in the container 20 merely counts the pills in the tubes 26. It is not necessary for her to remove the pills from the container 20 to determine how many are present and accounted for.

In FIG. 5 there is a lateral cross-sectional view of another pill dispenser 60. This pill dispenser comprises a container having walls 62 of a right cylindrical configuration and a bottom 63. In the container there is a divider 64 comprising a hub 66 and outwardly directed spokes or separators 68. It is seen that the hub 66 and the five outwardly directed spokes 68 are integral. The wall 62 of the container is translucent or transparent. On the upper part of the container there is attached a cap and a selector top 48 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The upper part of the wall '62 has an external thread. In use it is seen that a nurse may pick up the pill dispenser 60 and look through the translucent wall 62 to count the number of pills or capsules therein.

In FIGS. 13 and 14 there is illustrated another species of pill dispenser 7 which is similar to pill dispenser 6d of FIG. 5. This pill dispenser comprises a container having right circular cylindrical walls 72 and a bottom 74. Near the top there is an external thread 7 6. There is inside the container 70 a stem or hub 78 and six (6) outwardly directed spokes 80. There is a cap 82 having a base portion 84 and cylindrical sides 85 which are tapped at 88- for fitting with the threads 76. In the base 82 there is a passageway 9% through which pills or capsules may be introduced between the spokes 80 or removed from the container 7i Naturally, the wall 72 is translucent or transparent. The sem or hub 78 may be rotated so as to rotate the spokes 80 and the pills or capsules between the spokes 80 and in the container 70. At certain times a doctor or nurse may paste a label on covering part of the wall 72 so that the pills behind the label cannot be seen. Therefore, it is necessary to rotate the hub 78 and the spokes 80 to bring the pills into view.

The cap 82 may be used with the container of the pill dispenser 20. In this instance the stem 78 and the spacer rod 28 would be integral. By rotating the rod 28, the tube 26 rotates. In certain instances, a doctor or nurse may paste a label over a portion of the wall 22 so as to obscure the pills and capsules. Therefore, it is necessary to rotate the spacer 28 so as to rotate the tubes 26 to bring the pills into view for counting.

In FIG. 6 there is illustrated another species 100 of the pill dispenser. This pill dispenser comprises a container having right circular cylindrical walls 102 and a bottom 104. In the pill dispenser 100 there is a divider 106. This divider 106 may be considered to have a hub portion 108 which projects upwardly into a stem 119*. The top for the pill dispenser 100 may be the same as top 82 as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. The wall 102 is translucent or transparent. It is seen that by rotating the stem 110, the divider 106 is rotated which, in turn, rotates the pills and capsules into the view of the nurse.

In FIG. 8 there is illustrated a fragmentary plan view of another species of a pill dispenser 120. This pill dispenser comprises a body 122 in the general configuration of a right cylindrical circular member. In the body portion 122 are a number of passageways or tubes 124. The body portion 122 may be cast or molded of a translucent or transparent resin. The cap for the body portion 122 may be of a general configuration of the cap and selector top 48 described for FIG. 4. In this manner there is provided a means for introducing and a means for removing pills and capsules.

In FIGS. 9 and there is illustrated another species 130 of a pill dispenser. This pill dispenser has a container which has a body portion in the configuration of a right circular cylinder 132 and a bottom 134. In the body portion 132 are four (4) passageways 136. On the upper part of the body portion 132 are external threads 138. The cap may be the same as the cap and selector top 48 as previously illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 4. The body of the container may be a cap of molded resin which is translucent or transparent. It is seen that a nurse may count the pills in the container 130 and by rotating the selector top 48 remove or insert pills into the container.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 there is illustrated a species 146 of a pill dispenser. This species 140 comprises a container having a body portion 142 in the configuration of a right circular cylinder and a bottom 144. In the body portion there may be considered to be one generally large passageway 146 which surrounds a central hub 148. The hub 148 projects into the large passageway 146 which narrows near the edge of the hub 148 so as to define a throat or a separator. It is seen that there are four (4) main passageways in the container 140 for holding the pills, capsules, and the like. The cap for the container 140 may be the cap and selector top 43 previously illustrated and described in 4 FIG. 4. The body 152 of the container is of a translucent or transparent plastic.

In FIG. 7 there is illustrated a top 159 for these pill dispensers, and especially for use with the various containers of the pill dispensers. The top 150 is of a right cylindrical configuration and has an upright stem portion 152 which projects above the main part of the cylinder. In the body of the top 150 there are a plurality of passageways 154 which lead to the selector top 48. It is seen that a nurse may cup her hand over the cap 150 and pour pills into respective compartments or passageways or storage areas in the container. In this manner it is relatively easy to fill a container with pills and capsules.

From the foregoing it is seen that I have provided a pill dispenser which makes it possible for a nurse to readily insert pills into the dispenser and to readily remove a pill or pills from the dispenser. Further, it is seen that this pill dispenser makes it possible for the nurse to readily and quickly count the pills in the pill dispenser without having to remove the pills to count them on a table top or in her hand. The materials of construction of the container portion of the pill dispenser may be many. There are many suitable plastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene, and methylmethacrylate, to name a few.

What I claim is:

1. A dispenser for pills, capsules and the like, said dispenser comprising:

(a) a container;

(b) said container comprising a tubular case;

(0) said tubular case being transparent to light;

(d) a plurality of tubes in said case and said tubes being distinct and separate from the case;

(e) said tubes being transparent to light;

(f) a cap for said container;

g) said cap having access opening to each tube;

(11) means to attach said cap to said container;

(i) a selector top;

(i) said selector top having an opening for registering with the opening in said cap and selectively with one tube; and

(k) means for moving said selector top in registry with one tube whereby the opening in said selector top allows pills to leave that one tube only.

2. A dispenser for pills, capsules and the like, said dispenser comprising:

(a) a container;

(b) a compartment in said container for storing pills,

capsules and the like;

(c) a top for said container to open and close said compartment to allow pills, capsules and the like to enter and to leave said passageway;

((1) said top being an elongated funnel to allow a person to cup a hand around the top to insert pills, capsules and the like into the container; and,

(e) said container being transparent to light.

3. A dispenser for pills, capsules and the like, said dispenser comprising:

(a) a container;

(b) a compartment in said container for storing pills,

capsules and the like;

(c) a cap for said container;

(d) means to attach said cap to said container;

(e) said cap having an opening registering with said compartment;

(f) a top for said container to open and close said compartment to allow pills, capsules and the like to enter and to leave said passageway;

(g) said top being elongated and having a passageway therein to allow a person to cup a hand around the top to insert pills, capsules and the like into the passageway and the compartment in the container; and

(h) said container being transparent to light.

(References on following page) References Cited 2,903,127 9/1959 Dorman 20642 X 2,928,534 3/1960 Chiu 206-17 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,071,243 1/1963 Allen 206-.84 83,695 11/1868 Crane 312-295 X 702,904 6/1902 Abraham 312-295 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,282,485 10/1918 Sterling 312-295 5 1,120,576 4/1956 France. 1,462,334 7/1923 Gross 215-6 245,632 1/1926 Great Britain. 1,918,307 7/1933 Webber 215-6 2,072,630 3/1937 Ferry. MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner. 2,275,293 3/1942 F016}! 206-42 2,438,895 4/1948 Boufford et a1. 312-295 X THERON CONDON Exammer' 2,526,308 10/ 1950 Vorsanger, J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 2,642,985 6/1953 Whitcomb 206-.83 

1. A DISPENSER FOR PILLS, CAPSULES AND THE LIKE, SAID DISPENSER COMPRISING: (A) A CONTAINER; (B) SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING A TUBULAR CASE; (C) SAID TUBULAR CASE BEING TRANSPARENT TO LIGHT; (D) A PLURALITY OF TUBES IN SAID CASE AND SAID TUBES BEING DISTINCT AND SEPARATE FROM THE CASE; (E) SAID TUBES BEING TRANSPARENT TO LIGHT; (F) A CAP FOR SAID CONTAINER; (G) SAID CAP HAVING ACCESS OPENING TO EACH TUBE; (H) MEANS TO ATTACH SAID CAP TO SAID CONTAINER; 